Nut-lock.



C. T. HUNT NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION mm MAY :9. Wu.

1,263,770. Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

CHARLES 'I'. HUNT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFO COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A

RNIA,

.ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL NUT LOCK CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

Application filed May 29, 1914. Serial No. 841,750.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. HUNT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

The present invention seeks to provide a simple, cheap and practical construction of nut lock which can be readily placed in position upon the bolt and when in such position will serve to prevent the nut working loose under the jars and strains to which the bolt and nut ma be subjected. The invention consists in t e novel construction of nut lock hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a bolt and nut with my improved nu't lock in position to lock the nut. Fig. 2 is a top view of my improved nut lock. F' 3 is an end view of the threaded portion of the bolt with the nut lock in position thereon. Fi 4 is a side view showing a portion of the Imlt with the nut lock thereon, this view being taken from the side of the nut lock designated a. Fig. 5, Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 are views similar to Fig. 4, but taken from the points designated on Fig. 3 by the letters I), c and d respectively. Fig. 8 is a view in central longitudinal section through the nut lock and bolt shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are views similar to .Fi 2 but showing sli htly modified forms of my nut lock.

11 Letters Patent No. 1,032,605, granted to me July 16, 1912, there is shown a nut lock formed of a thin, annular disk or plate of resilient material, such as steel, that is cut away or slotted, a tooth being provided at each end of the slot adapted to project inwardly and engage the bolt. The nut lock of my present invention is similarly formed of a thin metal plate, preferably of steel and stamped to form a slot that extends outwardly from the bolt hole. A characteristic feature of my present invention is that the hole formed in the nut lock has an efi'ective diameter that is less in one direction and greater in another direction than the diameter of the threads of the bolt on which the nut lock is designed to be used; so that while a portion of the nut lock at one end of the minor axis of the elliptical hole 3 is between the threads of the bolt at a point close to the nut, the portion of the nut lock at the opposite end of the minor axis of the hole 3 will be between the threads at a greater dis tance from the face of the nut. By this means, the thin plate comprising my nut lock extends at an angle to the axis of the bolt, with the result that when the nut tends to work loose, the initial pressure on one side of the nut lock plate causes a cramping or binding of the plate against the threads in the line of the minor axis of the bolt hole and effectively serves to prevent the working loose of the nut.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 1 designates a thin metal plate of which my improved nut lock is formed, the outer or peripheral portion of this plate being of any convenient shape. As shown, a slot 2 is cut at one side of the plate, this slot extending from the hole 3 of the plate through the outer edge thereof. In Fig. 2, the dotted line 4 designates the major axis of the hole 3, while the dotted line 5 represents the minor axis of the hole 3. l0 designates the bolt and 11 denotes the threaded nut upon the bolt. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the diameter of the hole 3 in the nut lock plate is less in one direction, viz., in the direction of its minor axis 5, than the diameter of the threaded portion of the bolt 10, and it will also be seen that the diameter of the hole 3 is greater in the line of the major axis 4 than the diameter of the threaded portion of the bolt. By reference to Fig. 2, it will further be seen that the thread engaging portions of the nut lock plate are in the same plane. Inasmuch as the hole 3 of the plate has its major axis larger than the threaded portion of the bolt, the nut lock plate can be placed on the ,bolt by merely slipping a part of the plate opposite one end of its minor axis 5 over the end of the thread, of the bolt and the plate can then be turned down onto the nut as the broader part of the hole 3 (in the direction of its ma or axis 4) is of greater diameter than the threaded portions of the bolt and hence permits the nut lock plate to cross the threads in order to allow the point of the nut lock plate at the opposite end of the minor axis to enter between the threads of the bolt. When the nut lock plate is thus placed upon the bolt, it Will extend at an angle thereto corresponding to the pitch of the thread and will extend, consequently, at an angle to the outer surface of the nut. Hence, when the not lock :plate is screwed up against the nut, the nut lock plate will bear most firmly against one side of the nut, and any tendency of the nut to WOIk loose will therefore cause a crampi'n action of the nut lock plate, which will firmly wedge the portions of the plate at the ends of the minor axis 5 of the hole 3 securely against the Walls of the bolt threads.

In placing my improved nut lock plate 11 on the bolt it is not necessary that the plate should be expanded as the normal. size of the plate and shape of its hole are such as to enable the nut lock plate to be readily screwed onto the bolt either by a Wrench or by hand.

In the dravvin I have shown, for the purpose of better ilustration the hole of the not lock plate exaggerated in the direction of its "major axis, although it will be understood that it is only necessary that the hole, in such direction, shall be sufliciently large toenable "the plate to cross {the thread'of the bolt as shown in Figs. 7 andfS.

The distinctive feature of my invention, via, lortning the nut lock plate with a hole of such shape that the nut look plate can cross the thread of the bolt, may be em- {bodied in various Ways. Thus, for-example, in Fig. 9 of the drawing, 1 have shown a somewhat modified form of nut lock plate in which the corners 15 at the slotted portion of the plate are slightly rounded ofi, instead of being square, 'asshown in Fig. '2, althou h it regard the form shown in "Fig. 2 as pre eralile, for the reason that when the tiramping act on is exertedupdnthe nut lock late, under-the tende'ney'o'f the nut to work dose, therejwill be a tendency of the square corners at the inner end of the slot 2 to be "ednie embedded in the bolt.

in, 'in Fig. 10 I have shown another mod edforin of the invention in which the Itn'inor axis of the hole Bof the plate is obtained by forming that partof the plate op- 'posite the slot 2 with a slight inward extension 16, the hole of the nut lock plate, in his form of the invention, being circular except foirthe extension 16. Other modifications 'of the invention may be made without "departing from the scope of the appended '"leims. Having thus described myinve'ntion, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Lette'rs l atnt ist g 1. The combination with a threaded bolt and a nut thereon having afiiatouter face at right-angles to the sunset the bolt, of a "not lock comprising a thin resilient plate flat throughout and of uniform thickness arranged to be turned against the fiat outer face of the nut, said locking plate having a polygonal outer edge and a non-threaded opening therein having a curved edge, portions 0? the edge of said opening on opposite sides thereof fitting the thread groove of the bolt with an intermediate portion of said grooved edge crossing the bolt thread in a diagonal direction and closelg adjacent thereto to thereby maintain s 1 locking plate at a slight angle to the hat outer face of said nut and With one'eae portion of the *flaft inner "face or said pl te engtggiing said nut, substantially as descrl e 2. The combination with a threaded mt and a nut thereon having a an outer face at right angles to the axis of the belt, of a nut lock comprising a thin, resilient plate flat throughout and of uniform thickness, said locking plate having a olygonal outer edge and a non-threaded opening therein having a minor axis less than the diameter of the bolt thread and a major axis'slightly greater than such diameter, the edge 1561'- tions of said opening adjacent the axis thereof fitting within the thread grodve of the bolt with the'edge portidn a t dile e nd or the major axisoffiheopentng eroee'mgme 1 bolt thread in a diagonal direction, whereby said locking late is maintained on sa idbolt with its flatinner face at a slight angle the flat outer face of said nun-substantially as described.

3. The combination with a threaded belt and a 'nut thereon having a Ha-t 'tliite'r *faee at right angles to the ants of the b'dlty'of -a nut lock comprising a thin, resilient plliie havin a flat inner face arranged i0 be tur'ne against the flavouter fatfe of the-ni'it, said locking plate having a pol onal euter edge, a non-threaded e 'ening er'ein a slot extending fromfsaid opening to the outer edge, the edge of said opening curved and arranged to fit within tlie tmad groove of the bolt through the greater eortioh of its circumferenee with one portion (if said edge crossing the bolt thread i-hfia diagonal direct-ion -to thereby anathema said locking plate "on said b'o'it at a sli glit an 1e to the flat outer face of'said nut=end one edge portion of the flat 'faee of said plate engaging said nut.

'4. The combination with a threaded bolt and a 'nut thereon having a flePt outer time at right anglesto the axisof the boltfia'flfit lock eom r sing a thin resilient plate int throughout and of uniiori n thicknes es-ad locking platehavin'g a polz igonal oateredge, a non-1 breaded opening '1; 'erein and a slot eaten-ding from said opening to the ormer edgesaid opening haviuge uninur axis less than the diameter of The b'olt thread and a rumor axis slightly greater than such 130 ameter, the edge portions of said opening at a slight angle to the fiat outer face of adjacent the minor axis thereof bemg arsaid nut and with one edge portion of the ranged to fit Within the thread groove of inner face of said late enfia 'ng said nut. 1

the bolt with the edge portion at one end of HARL T. HUN T. 5 the major axis of the opening crossin the Witnesses:

bolt thread in a diagonal direction to t ere- J. I. MELLEN,

by maintain said locking plate on said bolt J. A. MCLAUGHLIN, Jr.

Goploo at this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! Potato Washington, D. 0. 

